Trout Creek Ecological Reserve Warden’s Report: September 7, 2014

◦ I was in the reserve for 2 hours early this morning. At 15◦ c, sunny,very quiet and no wind it was a very peaceful experience.

◦ I saw or heard 16 species of birds including the seldom seen Hairy Woodpecker,American Kestrel and Steller’s Jay. I was delighted to hear a lone Western Tanager that will be migrating by month’s end. I also heard the first Spotted Towhee of the year,which is getting late for that elevation.

◦ the only flowering plants were Parsnip-Flowered Buckwheat ( Erigonum heracleoides) and Rabbit Bush (Ericameria nauseosus). Tarragon (Artemesia dranunculus) has yet to flower and is still in bud! I dug out a Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla pungens) plant that was not in seed, so previous diggings proved successful. I was surprised to see so many Dalmatian Toadflax (Linearia genistifolia) on the SE slope in flower after seeing very few the last two visits. This is the same area where Diffuse Knapweed ( Centaurea diffusa) resurfaced this year in noticeable numbers.

◦ after not seeing any mammals on the reserve this year I was delighted to catch the hind end of a Coyote (Canis latrans) as it slipped into the under brush in typical coyote fashion. I heard 2 Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii) and the calling cards of a Black Bear ( Ursus americanus),”cherry pit” scat.

◦ I was dumfounded and upset to find domestic dog scat surrounded by a degradable plastic bag; hopefully, the first and last such finding. There was no other sign of human activity in the reserve.